A expansão craniana com o uso de molas tem demonstrado eficácia no tratamento das anormalidades craniofaciais, tais como as craniossinostoses. A ação expansora exercida pelas molas tem sido observada tanto quando colocadas entre as margens parietais dos ossos do crânio, como quando lateralmente à sutura sagital, principalmente nas escafocefalias. No presente estudo foi criado um modelo experimental com coelhos, e feita uma avaliação descritiva do comportamento da calota craniana e das suturas sob ação de molas. Foram utilizados 13 coelhos Nova Zelândia com quatro semanas de vida, divididos em quatro grupos: grupo I, foram implantados no crânio marcadores de amálgama para controle; no grupo II, marcadores de amálgama e osteotomia da sutura sagital; no grupo III, marcadores de amálgama, osteotomia da sutura sagital e colocação de uma mola expansora na região interparietal e, no grupo IV, marcadores de amálgama, craniotomia parassagital linear com colocação da mola. Os animais foram sacrificados com duas, quatro, oito e doze semanas. Foi realizado controle radiológico com avaliação do afastamento dos marcadores de amálgama, da variação dos ângulos cefalométricos e das medidas da base do crânio, bem como um estudo histopatológico da região de colocação das molas. Nos grupos com o uso de molas a separação dos bordos da craniotomia foi maior do que naqueles sem a utilização de mola. Houve ossificação em todos os grupos, com maior rapidez no grupo II. O crescimento ósseo deu-se a partir dos bordos e da profundidade. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas no padrão histopatológico da regeneração óssea entre os grupos com colocação de mola na região interparietal e parassagital. O modelo experimental com coelhos se mostrou adequado às análises propostas pelo estudo. Concluiu-se que houve osteogênese por distração nos grupos III e IV e que apresentaram uma expansão craniana semelhantes. / Spring-mediated skull expansion has proven to be effective in the treatment of craniofacial abnormalities, such as craniosynostosis. The use of springs in cranial expansion has been studied both in the sagittal and in parasagittal regions, especially in scaphocephaly. A rabbit model was used in the present study to analyze the effects of springs on the cranial vault and sutures. Thirteen 4-week-old New Zealand rabbits were used and divided into 4 groups: group I, amalgam markers were used as control; in group II, amalgam markers and osteotomy of the sagittal suture; in group III, amalgam markers and osteotomy of the sagittal suture with implant of an expansible spring in the interparietal region and in group IV, amalgam markers and linear parasagittal craniectomy with springs. Animals were sacrificed after 2, 4 and 12 weeks. Radiological control with assessment of the amalgam markers, variation of cephalometric angles and cranial base measurements, as well as the histopathological analysis of the spring implant area were carried out. In the groups using springs distraction of the craniectomy borders was greater than in those that did not use springs. Ossification was observed in all of the groups and was faster in group II. Bone growth started from the borders and depth. There were no significant differences in the histopathological pattern of bone regeneration between the groups with spring implant in the interparietal and parasagittal region. The rabbit model proved to be adequate for the analysis proposed by the study. It was concluded that there was osteogenesis caused by distraction in groups III and IV, with similar skull expansion rates.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-20T14:33:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_tiago_lopes_bertoldi.pdf: 1296338 bytes, checksum: 152fced4a5d64147170c23e2437be26b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-10-29 / The growth of peach trees (Prunus L.) plays a major social and economic role in Rio Grande do Sul. In the year 2012 alone, 132,874 tons of peaches were produced in the State. This activity is largely performed on family run farms and involves a high number of farm workers, thus contributing to keeping families in rural areas. Basic machinery and tools are needed for the crop implementation. The peach tree is a plant that demands fertilization throughout its life cycle, and nutrient absorption is mainly carried out by its roots. Since the adsorption area is smaller than the deposition area performed by conventional equipment, there may be unnecessary waste in the fertilization of orchards, raising costs. There are technologies available in the marketplace today that could solve this problem; these are, however, still inaccessible to small and medium scale family farming. Thus, the aim of this study was to develop an informally and conceptually designed mechanical system for the purpose of using band placement or localized granular fertilizer application, directed to peach-growing family farmers needs. The methodology of the design is based on a phase model which has been divided into informational design, conceptual design, preliminary design and detailed design. This study developed the first two phases. The initial or informational design phase identified clients needs according the role they played within each phase of the life cycle of the product so as to establish the design specifications, including a total of 18 requirements. The scope of the problem was analyzed in the conceptual design phase, when three viable functional structures to meet the design specifications were established. Research using solution principles was performed and the most promising combinations were selected so as to choose the most adequate one. The scope of the problem was to apply granular fertilizer evenly on the target. This way, the most adequate functional structure to attend to the design needs was met. Four machine conceptions were obtained, one of which was selected. / O cultivo do pessegueiro (Prunus L.) possui grande importância social e econômica no Rio Grande do Sul, tendo sido produzidos no ano de 2012 cerca de 132.874 toneladas deste. Esta atividade é em grande parte executada em propriedades agrícolas familiares, demandando elevada mão de obra o que acaba auxiliando a fixação do homem no campo. A produção do pêssego utiliza uma série de ferramentas e máquinas bastante simples para a implantação da lavoura. O pessegueiro é uma planta exigente em adubação em todo seu ciclo de vida, a absorção dos nutrientes é realizada majoritariamente pelas raízes. Uma vez que a área de adsorção é menor do que a área de deposição realizada pelas máquinas convencionais, na adubação de um pomar podem ocorrer desperdícios e tornar a atividade onerosa. Existem no mercado tecnologias capazes de solucionar o problema, porém ainda estão distantes da realidade da agricultura familiar de pequena e média escala, assim, o objetivo do trabalho foi desenvolver o projeto informacional e conceitual de um sistema mecanizado com a finalidade de aplicar fertilizante granulado de forma localizada, direcionado às necessidades dos agricultores familiares produtores de pêssego. A base da metodologia de projeto utilizada encontra-se fundamentada em um modelo de fases o qual divide-se em: projeto informacional, projeto conceitual, projeto preliminar e projeto detalhado, sendo que neste trabalho executaram-se as duas primeiras. Na primeira fase, projeto informacional foram identificadas as necessidades dos clientes de acordo com as funções que desenvolvem dentro de cada fase do ciclo de vida do produto para estabelecimento das especificações de projeto, totalizando 18 requisitos. Na fase de projeto conceitual verificou-se o escopo do problema, estabelecendo-se três estruturas funcionais viáveis para o atendimento das especificações de projeto. Realizaram-se pesquisas por princípios de solução, selecionando as combinações mais promissoras a fim de escolher a mais adequada para o atendimento das necessidades encontradas. O escopo do problema encontrado foi: Aplicar regularmente no alvo, fertilizante granular dosado uniformemente. Desta forma encontrou-se a estrutura funcional que mais se adequou ao atendimento dos requisitos de projeto. Obtiveram-se quatro concepções da máquina uma das quais foi selecionada.

Esta pesquisa de mestrado se situa nos estudos de inter-relação do design com a arquitetura, enfocando os equipamentos denominados Academia da Primeira Idade, entendidos como um mobiliário urbano para o público infantil presente e implantado no espaço livre público das áreas de playground, em locais levantados na atualidade na cidade de São Paulo, onde foram realizadas pesquisas de campo com abordagem qualitativa. Com o objetivo de levantar dados sobre como um mobiliário urbano é percebido e entendido por seu público alvo, procurou-se pela visão das crianças usuárias e seus acompanhantes a fim de obter entendimento e diretrizes sobre o espaço e equipamentos para brincar e se exercitar. Foram utilizadas várias ferramentas de pesquisa para captação de dados como: observação não participante, entrevista com acompanhantes no local de uso, storytelling com crianças, além de levantamentos nos órgãos públicos gestores e com especialistas, com enfoque no uso e apropriação pelos seus usuários, verificando aspectos formais, comportamentais e de interação social. Por meio da triangulação de dados foi possível levantar os pontos relevantes na opinião dos stakeholders, agentes envolvidos, gerando conhecimentos para aprimoramento dos espaços e equipamentos existentes, bem como para novos projetos afins. Como principais achados podem ser destacados pontos positivos e negativos citados sobre os equipamentos elencados além de aspectos como proporcionar diversão com segurança, conservação, interação com outras crianças, e outros relacionados às características físicas e de manutenção de espaços bem cuidados, com piso adequado, e dotados de mobiliário complementar, sempre presentes nas narrativas dos pesquisados quanto as suas necessidades e expectativas. Considerando a importância que o brincar tem na formação das crianças, e que experiências e vivências únicas o espaço público pode proporcionar, espera-se que estes dados, considerando a visão e opinião dos usuários, possam servir para melhorar a qualidade dos espaços e equipamentos públicos infantis. / This master\'s research is inserted in the studies of the inter-relation between design and architecture, focusing on what is called Kids Outdoor Fitness Equipment, understood as urban furniture aimed for children and implanted in the public space of playground areas, in places chosen presently in the city of São Paulo, where field research was undertaken with a qualitative approach. With the goal of raising data on how urban furniture is perceived and understood by its target audience, it has sought the point of view of child users and their escorts in order to obtain understanding and guidelines regarding the space and equipment to play and exercise in. Several research tools were used to gather the data, such as non-participant observation, interview with escorts at the site of usage, and storytelling with children, besides collecting data at public agencies and with specialists, with a focus on the use and appropriation by the users, verifying formal, behavioral and social interaction aspects. By means of triangulation of data, it was possible to raise the relevant aspects in the opinion of the stakeholders, the agents involved, generating knowledge for the improvement of the existing spaces and equipment, as well as for new related projects. As the main findings, we can highlight positive and negative features cited regarding the listed equipment, besides aspects such as affording entertainment with safety, conservation, and interaction with other children, as well as others related to the physical features and the maintenance of well cared-for spaces, with adequate flooring, and fitted with complementary furniture, always present in the narratives of the researched as far as their needs and expectations. Considering the importance of play in children\'s growth, and what unique experiences public space can provide, it is hoped that these data, considering the point of view and opinion of the users, may serve to improve the quality of spaces and public children\'s equipment.

Esta pesquisa de mestrado se situa nos estudos de inter-relação do design com a arquitetura, enfocando os equipamentos denominados Academia da Primeira Idade, entendidos como um mobiliário urbano para o público infantil presente e implantado no espaço livre público das áreas de playground, em locais levantados na atualidade na cidade de São Paulo, onde foram realizadas pesquisas de campo com abordagem qualitativa. Com o objetivo de levantar dados sobre como um mobiliário urbano é percebido e entendido por seu público alvo, procurou-se pela visão das crianças usuárias e seus acompanhantes a fim de obter entendimento e diretrizes sobre o espaço e equipamentos para brincar e se exercitar. Foram utilizadas várias ferramentas de pesquisa para captação de dados como: observação não participante, entrevista com acompanhantes no local de uso, storytelling com crianças, além de levantamentos nos órgãos públicos gestores e com especialistas, com enfoque no uso e apropriação pelos seus usuários, verificando aspectos formais, comportamentais e de interação social. Por meio da triangulação de dados foi possível levantar os pontos relevantes na opinião dos stakeholders, agentes envolvidos, gerando conhecimentos para aprimoramento dos espaços e equipamentos existentes, bem como para novos projetos afins. Como principais achados podem ser destacados pontos positivos e negativos citados sobre os equipamentos elencados além de aspectos como proporcionar diversão com segurança, conservação, interação com outras crianças, e outros relacionados às características físicas e de manutenção de espaços bem cuidados, com piso adequado, e dotados de mobiliário complementar, sempre presentes nas narrativas dos pesquisados quanto as suas necessidades e expectativas. Considerando a importância que o brincar tem na formação das crianças, e que experiências e vivências únicas o espaço público pode proporcionar, espera-se que estes dados, considerando a visão e opinião dos usuários, possam servir para melhorar a qualidade dos espaços e equipamentos públicos infantis. / This master\'s research is inserted in the studies of the inter-relation between design and architecture, focusing on what is called Kids Outdoor Fitness Equipment, understood as urban furniture aimed for children and implanted in the public space of playground areas, in places chosen presently in the city of São Paulo, where field research was undertaken with a qualitative approach. With the goal of raising data on how urban furniture is perceived and understood by its target audience, it has sought the point of view of child users and their escorts in order to obtain understanding and guidelines regarding the space and equipment to play and exercise in. Several research tools were used to gather the data, such as non-participant observation, interview with escorts at the site of usage, and storytelling with children, besides collecting data at public agencies and with specialists, with a focus on the use and appropriation by the users, verifying formal, behavioral and social interaction aspects. By means of triangulation of data, it was possible to raise the relevant aspects in the opinion of the stakeholders, the agents involved, generating knowledge for the improvement of the existing spaces and equipment, as well as for new related projects. As the main findings, we can highlight positive and negative features cited regarding the listed equipment, besides aspects such as affording entertainment with safety, conservation, and interaction with other children, as well as others related to the physical features and the maintenance of well cared-for spaces, with adequate flooring, and fitted with complementary furniture, always present in the narratives of the researched as far as their needs and expectations. Considering the importance of play in children\'s growth, and what unique experiences public space can provide, it is hoped that these data, considering the point of view and opinion of the users, may serve to improve the quality of spaces and public children\'s equipment.

Chan Cheung Shing. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 88-90). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.ii / Acknowledgements --- p.iv / Table of Contents --- p.v / List of Figures --- p.viii / List of Tables --- p.xii / Abbreviations and Notations --- p.xiii / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Background and Objective --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Contribution --- p.4 / Chapter 1.3 --- Thesis Outline --- p.5 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- System Architecture --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1 --- Conceptual Design --- p.6 / Chapter 2.2 --- Sensing Device and Fall-Detection Algorithm --- p.7 / Chapter 2.3 --- Mechanical Part --- p.10 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Mechanical Design --- p.11 / Chapter 3.1 --- Similar Products --- p.11 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Airbag Restraining Systems in Automobiles --- p.11 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Airbag Jackets for Motorcycle and House Riders --- p.12 / Chapter 3.2 --- Mechanism adopted --- p.12 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Time Requirement of Inflator --- p.12 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Mechanism and Design --- p.13 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Actuator --- p.14 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Punch --- p.15 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- Airbags --- p.18 / Chapter 3.2.6 --- Other Mechanisms Tried --- p.19 / Chapter 3.3 --- Prototype --- p.21 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Implementation --- p.21 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Demonstration --- p.23 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Inflation Estimation --- p.25 / Chapter 4.1 --- Theory and Model --- p.25 / Chapter 4.2 --- Validation of Model --- p.28 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Testing Equipment --- p.28 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Preprocessing of Pressure Sensor Outputs --- p.28 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Validation for Basic Equations --- p.29 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Adjustment of Discharge Coefficients --- p.36 / Chapter 4.2.5 --- Validation for Discharging to a Fixed Volume --- p.40 / Chapter 4.2.6 --- Estimation of the Size of Airbag's Leakage Hole --- p.45 / Chapter 4.2.7 --- Validation for Discharging to an Airbag --- p.47 / Chapter 4.2.8 --- Time Delay due to Addition of a Pipe --- p.52 / Chapter 4.3 --- Summary of Experiments --- p.53 / Chapter 4.4 --- Limitation of Model --- p.54 / Chapter 4.5 --- Prediction of Inflation Time and Airbag Pressure --- p.55 / Chapter 4.5.1 --- Effects of Orifice Size and Vent Size on Airbag Pressure and Volume --- p.55 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Force Attenuation Estimation --- p.58 / Chapter 5.1 --- Theory and Model --- p.58 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Kelvin-Voigt Model --- p.59 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Standard Linear Solid Support Model --- p.59 / Chapter 5.2 --- Simple Testing for Validation --- p.61 / Chapter 5.3 --- Summary of Experiment --- p.64 / Chapter 5.4 --- Estimation --- p.64 / Chapter 5.4.1 --- Force Attenuation Ability of Prototype --- p.64 / Chapter 5.4.2 --- Minimum Airbag Volume and Pressure Required to Reduce the Force --- p.65 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Future Work --- p.66 / Chapter 6.1 --- Impact Test for Airbag System --- p.66 / Chapter 6.2 --- The Effective Mass of the Target User --- p.67 / Chapter 6.3 --- The Motion Data Collection --- p.68 / Chapter 6.4 --- Modification in the Inflator --- p.69 / Chapter Chapter 7 --- Conclusion --- p.70 / Appendix A Review of Basic Thermodynamics and Fluid Dynamics --- p.72 / Chapter A.1 --- Thermodynamics --- p.72 / Chapter A.2 --- Fluid Mechanics: Incompressible and Compressible Flow --- p.75 / Appendix B Derivation of Equations --- p.77 / Chapter B.1 --- Mass Flow Rate Equations --- p.77 / Chapter B.2 --- Relationship between Rate of Changes of Airbag Pressure and Volume --- p.80 / Chapter B.3 --- Pressure Change of Compressed Gas Cylinder --- p.82 / Chapter B.4 --- Dominating Factors in the Mass Flow Rate Equation --- p.83 / Appendix C Dimensions of Inflator --- p.85 / Appendix D Experimental Data --- p.86

The rapidly increasing complexities of hardware designs are forcing design methodologies and tools to move to the Electronic System Level (ESL), a higher abstraction level with better productivity than the state-of-the-art Register Transfer Level (RTL). Behavioral synthesis, which automatically synthesizes ESL behavioral specifications to RTL implementations, plays a central role in this transition. However, since behavioral synthesis is a complex and error-prone translation process, the lack of designers' confidence in its correctness becomes a major barrier to its wide adoption. Therefore, techniques for establishing equivalence between an ESL specification and its synthesized RTL implementation are critical to bring behavioral synthesis into practice. The major research challenge to equivalence checking for behavioral synthesis is the significant semantic gap between ESL and RTL. The semantics of ESL involve untimed, sequential execution; however, the semantics of RTL involve timed, concurrent execution. We propose a sequential equivalence checking (SEC) framework for certifying a behavioral synthesis flow, which exploits information on successive intermediate design representations produced by the synthesis flow to bridge the semantic gap. In particular, the intermediate design representation after scheduling and pipelining transformations permits effective correspondence of internal operations between this design representation and the synthesized RTL implementation, enabling scalable, compositional equivalence checking. Certifications of loop and function pipelining transformations are possible by a combination of theorem proving and SEC through exploiting pipeline generation information from the synthesis flow (e.g., the iteration interval of a generated pipeline). The complexity brought by bubbles in function pipelines is creatively reduced by symbolically encoding all possible bubble insertions in one pipelined design representation. The result of this dissertation is a robust, practical, and scalable framework for certifying RTL designs synthesized from ESL specifications. We have validated the robustness, practicality, and scalability of our approach on industrial-scale ESL designs that result in tens of thousands of lines of RTL implementations.

Thesis--University of Oklahoma. / Bibliography: leaves 152-154.

No description available.

<p dir="ltr">Molecular materials exhibiting bistability between two states are intriguing candidates for next generation electronic devices. Two similar classes of materials, known as spin crossover (SCO) and valence tautomers (VT) respectively, are of particular interest due to their multifunctional properties, which are controllable via several external parameters, such as temperature, light irradiation, pressure, magnetic field, and electric field. In recent years, considerable research has been dedicated to better understanding the underlying principles that govern the behavior of these materials, so that their implementation into nano-based devices might be achieved.</p><p dir="ltr">In this report, a systematic study of the valence tautomer molecule [Co(sq)(cat)(3-tpp)₂] is presented. In the first chapter, the phenomenon of valence tautomerism (VT) occurring in coordination compounds is introduced and described from the perspective of Crystal Field Theory (CFT). Further, the molecular structure and physical properties of the [Co(sq)(cat)(3-tpp)₂] molecule are explored. The properties of the ferroelectric material Polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP), and the 2-D Mxene Ti₃C₂ are also discussed.</p><p dir="ltr">The next section details equipment development and experimental methods. Thin films of VT molecules were prepared from solution via a drop-casting approach. For thin film analysis, we have developed a custom made, fully automated Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) with a sensitivity on the order of 1 × 10^-5 emu, as well as a fully automated, variable temperature, under vacuum electron transport stage, and a magneto-optic Kerr effect apparatus (MOKE). Additional experimental methods used to characterize the VT thin films include X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS), UV-visible Spectrometry (UV-Vis) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry. Experimental results obtained from these techniques are discussed and analyzed in the third section. PVDF-HFP polarization dependent isothermal spin state switching of [Co(sq)(cat)(3-tpp)₂] is also discussed as well as the effects of doping [Co(sq)(cat)(3-tpp)₂] with Ti₃C₂, followed by a conclusion and an outline of future work.</p>

No / Keratinocyte traction forces play a crucial role in wound healing. The aim of this study was to develop a novel cell traction force (CTF) transducer system based on cholesteryl ester liquid crystals (LC). Keratinocytes cultured on LC induced linear and isolated deformation lines in the LC surface. As suggested by the fluorescence staining, the deformation lines appeared to correlate with the forces generated by the contraction of circumferential actin filaments which were transmitted to the LC surface via the focal adhesions. Due to the linear viscoelastic behavior of the LC, Hooke's equation was used to quantify the CTFs by associating Young's modulus of LC to the cell induced stresses and biaxial strain in forming the LC deformation. Young's modulus of the LC was profiled by using spherical indentation and determined at approximately 87.1+/-17.2kPa. A new technique involving cytochalasin-B treatment was used to disrupt the intracellular force generating actin fibers, and consequently the biaxial strain in the LC induced by the cells was determined. Due to the improved sensitivity and spatial resolution ( approximately 1mum) of the LC based CTF transducer, a wide range of CTFs was determined (10-120nN). These were found to be linearly proportional to the length of the deformations. The linear relationship of CTF-deformations was then applied in a bespoke CTF mapping software to estimate CTFs and to map CTF fields. The generated CTF map highlighted distinct distributions and different magnitude of CTFs were revealed for polarized and non-polarized keratinocytes.